Lady Gaga's ultra-glam American Horror Story character might have a taste for human blood, but even she would turn up her nose at a 5-year-old desiccated meat dress treated with bleach and formaldehyde.
Now on show at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the cowl-neck Franc Fernandez design has been "preserved like beef jerky" and transported in a special climate-controlled truck to keep the flank steak from decomposing further, director of collections Jun Francisco told MTV News.
"Nobody has tried anything like this before and so a lot of conservators have never experienced this," he said. "There was another meat dress in the past [editor's note: Wikipedia Jana Sterbak's Vanitas: Flesh Dress for an Albino Anorectic], but they actually let it rot. It wasn't preserved at all. But this one is different since it's now beef jerky—we're assuming the lifespan of this dress is the lifespan of beef jerky! We're looking forward to seeing what that's like. [Editor's note: I wish I could get that excited about shriveled-up beef.]
Below—only if you haven't eaten recently, mind you—take in the scraggly meat fringe, the shrunken meat moon boots, and the deep, viscera-red dye they applied to give it the same appearance as when it was first worn.
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
Chelsea Peng is a writer and editor who was formerly the assistant editor at MarieClaire.com. She's also worked for The Strategist and Refinery29, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. On her tombstone, she would like a GIF of herself that's better than the one that already exists on the Internet and a free fro-yo machine. Besides frozen dairy products, she's into pirates, carbs, Balzac, and snacking so hard she has to go lie down.
-
Olivia Rodrigo Finds the Perfect Spring Dresses at Reformation
She's worn the brand twice in the past week.
By Julia Marzovilla Published
-
Curiously, Just as Meghan Markle Sends Samples of Her New Strawberry Jam Out, the Buckingham Palace Shop Starts Promoting Its Own Strawberry Jam on Social Media
The clip promoting the Buckingham Palace Shop’s product—we cannot make this up—is set to Mozart’s “Dissonance Quartet.”
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Zendaya's Latest 'Challengers' Serve Is Nearly a Century Old
The 1930s-era dress may have been pulled months ago.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
Lady Gaga Keeps Teasing New Music—Here's What We Know
"This year will be an important and meaningful year for us."
By Meghan De Maria Published
-
Lady Gaga Slams "Hatred" She and Dylan Mulvaney Received on International Women's Day Photo
Fans applauded the singer for taking a stand.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Fans Are Absolutely Convinced That These Two Powerhouse Singers Are Going to Be Featured on Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance: Act II’
Be still our hearts if true.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Only Lady Gaga Could Make Grabbing a Pizza Effortlessly Chic
A rare sighting of Gaga and her beau, Michael Polansky.
By Fleurine Tideman Published
-
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper Are Together Again on the Red Carpet Five Years After ‘A Star Is Born’
Gaga came out to support Cooper at a screening of his new film, ‘Maestro.’
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Sarah Hyland and Adam Devine Play 'How Well Do You Know Your Co-Star?'
The 'Modern Family' stars reunited for the 'Pitch Perfect' spinoff series.
By Brooke Knappenberger Published
-
The 78 Best Celebrity Couple Halloween Costumes of All Time
Honestly, we're impressed.
By Charlotte Chilton Published
-
Super Rare Photos of Queen Elizabeth as a Young Woman
From childhood snapshots to portraits as a young princess, beautiful and rare photos of the late Queen Elizabeth as a young woman.
By Mehera Bonner Published